The Lady and the Ronin
by DawningAurora
Summary: The melody of an erhu swells past the push of time to curl around memories and thus entwine the lives of two.


The Lady and the Ronin.

* * *

Too upset with Kishi to consider buying off rights to Naruto.

This piece is written in time to Saiunkoku Monogatari's Kokyuu Yasoukyokyu.

* * *

I close my eyes, then I drift away, into the magic night I softly say. A silent prayer, like dreamers do, then I fall asleep to dream my dreams of you.  
Roy Orbison  
.

.

.

Every night, regardless of whether the moon shone or left a shadow in its place, he would stand outside her quarters. She sat in the majesty of silks and perfumes, shadowed by paper screens and muted illumination.

She sat before the balcony facing the forest. Her hands fluently fingered the slender wooden erhu that sang for him each night.

In the sweet sway of the song, he lost himself more each night.

She played for her unknown audience each night, never knowing who he was but content in knowing there was one who cared not for her mastery but for the sweet swell of music that flowed between them.

Uzumaki Naruto was a missing nin from Konoha. He had followed his master, Jiraya, after the fall of the village. He spent his days searching for purpose and one night, just as he despaired of ever finding it, he was drawn by the siren call of an erhu. He followed it to the women's quarters of the Daimyo's palace.

He stood in the shadow, holding vigilance over the notes that scattered joyously to the winds. The gentle sounds of the note soothed him into near-slumber. Suddenly, the erhu stopped with an unharmonious twang as the sharp sound of flesh meeting flesh rang out.

He had sworn to himself that he would not interfere. But as he heard the erhu snap, so did his temper.

"You are not to play this wretched instrument again, wife" the harsh tone cut across the space between them.

The woman's answer was too soft for him to catch but the unmistakably masculine footsteps grew distant.

She stood, again shadowed by illumination, and she spoke towards the patch of woods that secret-ed him.

"Forgive me; it would seem that I cannot play the erhu anymore"

She spoke apologetically, in a strangely hollow tone. She turned slowly and was about to walk away when he stepped out of the trees and into her line of sight.

Eyes that had reminded her of the summer skies, of oceans, of hope and the love of her life gazed deeply into her own. She started with a soft gasp.

"Naruto-kun" she called out softly, as though he were her prayer.

Wide eyes met her own as the years between them faded away. She was back in her academy classroom, back to Hinata Hyuga-A girl who could not breathe a word in the presence of the shadow of the man before her.

Sweet memories swelled in time to her heartbeat, racing leagues in moments.

All too soon, she was Lady Hinata, the Daimyo's wife. An obedient woman who sat in the lap of luxury, in the shadow of her husband, who never questioned his commands. She was the epitome of the perfect Lady.

Her heart which soared to heights unknown came crashing back to earth on leaden wings.

Lavender eyes, that were previously alight with happiness now dimmed like a wick that burned too low.

Naruto did not see the woman before him but the slightly eccentric girl who he had known since childhood. A girl who had offered him salve and a smile; one who had once brushed dirt from his filthy face with her handkerchief.

He couldn't reconcile that girl with the woman before him.

The woman before him stood with a painted face, a smile and a hollow gaze. Cocooned in strangulatory silks and a scented coiffure, she stood before him- graceful, doll-like and unreal.

He felt his heart contract strangely as he saw past the layers, and into what she had really become. Impulsively, he held out his hand and whispered hoarsely "Come away with me, Hinata".

She closed her eyes against the whiplash of emotions that whirled within her. She smiled sadly.

"I cannot Naruto-kun."

"Why?" he whispered, afraid he would break from within.

"Because there is too much as stake" she replied enigmatically.

He bowed in acquiescence and left. She returned to her quarters feeling oddly queasy and malcontent.

He returned the next night. She sat before him, her kimono spread like a flower petals around her, appropriately respectful.

Again he asked her to leave with him. She refused him again and returned to her quarters, growing more ill at ease.

This continued for several weeks, her heart growing progressively discordant with her words.

She was so wrapped up in her dilemma that she failed to see the malicious eyes that saw entirely too eagerly and whispered poisonous words that were glazed in honey to the Daimyo.

Enraged, he charged in and demanded her blood in recompense to his slighted honor.

It was a testament to the final, fading strands of affection that her father harbored that the Daimyo was persuaded otherwise.

She was dragged away in chains, shorn hair and dishonor to a far off wasteland where the women who displeased him were kept. It was a hard life there. The food was scarce, the women were coarse but they were genial folk.

Hinata kept count of the passing days by notches on the wall and the length of her hair.

When Naruto returned to the palace the next day, he could not locate her chakra. They were waiting for him apparently. He was ambushed by an army of Jounin who overpowered him in minutes and dragged him by hair to the darkest part of the castle dungeons to 'teach him a lesson'.

Their 'lesson' dragged on for a month after which they threw him into a cell that caused light itself to turn away from it.

Freedom came in the form of a cowl shrouded figure who whispered lovingly of Hinata and urgently of his release. He escaped on foot, blind against even the smallest ray of light, fueled only by the need to see her again. He stowed the scroll the cowl-covered figure gave close to his heart and set on his journey.

Five months saw him scamper across half the world, scatter beyond the reach of the Daimyo and towards Hinata anchored only by the real, solid weight of the scroll he carried.

He arrived along with the fall of winter. A little battle scarred and a little weary.

She stood before him, a little unkempt and a little dumbstruck.

He walked towards her and stood.

"Hey" he smiled like a sun breaking free of the clouds.

"Hello" she replied in kind.

He fidgeted a little, unsure of what to do. She smiled and took his hand in hers as she led him to her newfound home.

Her scroll was given. She spoke fondly of his mysterious, prison-breaking benefactress who was actually her companion in the palace.

The teasing started and they blustered and blushed their way through.

As they bedded down for the night, he chose to lie beside her, quoting familiarity as an excuse.

He asked for her hand in silence, cradling them between his own and placing them on his heart as he slept.

She lay awake, feeling his heart beat steadily beneath her fingers.

Along with the sun rose her decision. Morning had ensured he would be dispatched for hunting. She accompanied him without asking.

With the blessings of a clear morning and the mild winter breeze, she laid a hand on his bent shoulder.

He rose and looked at her serious expression. She smiled gently. He nodded.

With a hesitant smile, he took her hand in his and enunciated "Hinata?"

She smiled sweetly at him "Yes, Naruto kun?"

Blue smiled into lavender "Will you come away with me?"

She assented.

* * *

Aurora's note- I hope you enjoyed that!

The idea plagued me as all pre-exam plot bunnies are wont to do.

If so inclined, do review.


End file.
